METALLICA Teams Up With VANS To Honor 30th Anniversary Of 'Kill 'Em All'

July 10, 2012

According to Kicks On Fire, the new collaboration between METALLICA and Vans — one of the world's leaders in the shoe and apparel market — is slated for release next year, honoring the 30th anniversary of the band's first studio album, "Kill 'Em All". The "Kill 'Em All" pack will consist of both the Vans Slip On and Sk8 Hi, with each one dressed in the hand and hammer design used for the cover art. Done in red, white and black, the vibrant kicks will give anyone instant rock-star status.

Originally issued on July 25, 1983 through the independent label Megaforce Records, "Kill 'Em All" was recorded in two weeks on a miniscule budget in upstate New York. Although only 1,500 copies were initially pressed, the album was reissued by Elektra Records after the band signed to that label in 1984 and has since been certified triple platinum for sales of more than three million copies.

The original title of "Kill 'Em All" was "Metal Up Your Ass".

The album's opening cut, "Hit the Lights", was the first song that frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich wrote together after forming METALLICA. An early version of the track appeared on the 1982 compilation "Metal Massacre".

Lead guitarist Dave Mustaine was replaced by Kirk Hammett shortly before recording commenced, although Mustaine still has several writing credits on the disc and went on to form MEGADETH.

A number of songs from the album are still part of METALLICA's set list to this day, including "The Four Horsemen", "Seek and Destroy" and "No Remorse".

METALLICA has since gone on to become one of the biggest rock bands in the world, selling tens of millions of copies of its eight studio albums, including 15 million alone of 1991's self-titled "black album." The band's ninth effort, "Death Magnetic", arrived in 2008.

In 2008, Metal Blade Records owner and CEO Brian Slagel conducted interviews with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich to coincide with the 25th anniversary of "Kill 'Em All". Watch the six-and-a-half-minute clip below.

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